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| October 2004 | Home · Event Calendar · Getting Here · Contact Us | ||||
Upcoming EventsHeating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning & Water Heating Date: 10/12/2004 Site Planning, Exterior Design & Landscaping Date: 10/14/2004 Applications & Codes for Outdoor Lighting Date: 10/19/2004 To view a complete calendar of upcoming events, click here. News BitsKeeping It Clean Pays Photovoltaic ( PV) systems have an enviable record for unattended operations; many systems have no moving parts. However, sustaining maximum performance occasionally requires intervention. SDREO’s 10 kW PV system has been installed since November 2003. Nearly one year has passed and we noticed recently that the PV output was lower than expected. Drought conditions and construction on a new building adjacent to ours has created excessive dust build-up on the panels. SDREO’s energy engineers Jason Knight and Ben Erpelding took the lead and decided to conduct a test on instantaneous PV output before and after we cleaned the panels.
The following week (on a cloudy day), Jason and Ben hosed down the panels with water and measured the change once again. The power output before was 2.7 kW and after was 3.0 kW, yielding another 11% increase in instantaneous power output (or a 3% increase overall). Lesson learned: PV modules should be cleaned semi-annually in dirty locations (especially if they are installed horizontally like SDREO’s). You should keep leaves, branches and other debris off the top of the modules, and keep debris from accumulating under the modules. Any loss of power production is a financial loss from your pocket! New Jersey Proposes New Rules for Renewable Energy Systems The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) approved amendments last week to its rules for connecting renewable energy systems to the electrical grid and selling the power back to the electric utility. The proposed rules expand the types of eligible systems to include renewable-fuel-powered fuel cells, landfill-gas systems, power from sustainable biomass sources, and geothermal, wave, and tidal energy systems, in addition to wind and solar systems, which were previously included. The rules also boost the maximum system size to 2 megawatts, up from 100 kilowatts. Three levels of interconnection requirements start with simple, streamlined requirements for small systems and ratchet up to more complicated requirements for the larger, more expensive systems. The changes are consistent with model procedures and agreements developed by the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners. See the BPU press release. Tech TipMany idle electronics such as TVs, cable boxes, cordless phones, DVD and CD players – consume energy 24 hours a day, even when switched off. This parasitic power consumption (sometimes as much as 15-20 watts per device) that keeps display clocks lit, memory chips active and remote controls working – accounts for 5% of domestic electricity consumption, $3 billion in annual costs, and releases 18 million tons of carbon emissions. Idle TVs and VCRs alone cost US consumers more than $1 billion a year, or some $30 per household. Emissions from power plants supplying that electricity equal the pollution caused by 2 million cars! Ways to save this energy include:
Quotables"...when we survey the future -- the prospects for buildings and cities, settled and unsettled lands -- we see a new sensibility emerging, one in which inhabiting a place becomes a mindful, delightful participation in landscape. This perspective is both rigorous and poetic. It is built on design principles inspired by nature's laws. It is enacted by immersing oneself in the life of a place to discover the most fitting and beautiful materials and forms. It is a design aesthetic that draws equally on the poetics of science and the poetics of space. We hope it is the design strategy of the future."
Speak OutEnergy Connection is a monthly publication of the San Diego Regional Energy Office. We welcome your feedback and would like to hear from you. To submit comments, questions or suggestions, please This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
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By simply sweeping the panels we got nearly a 1 
And the Winner Is...
Program Spotlight:| Inside the San Diego Energy Resource Center |
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Featured Display
| Energy Policies, Regulations & Legislative Updates |
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AB135: Authorizes the CEC to expend up to $60 million of funding allocated to the Renewable Resources Trust Fund for emerging renewable technologies-- primarily to fund incentives for small-scale PV projects. Approved by Governor 9/29/04. AB594: Establishes Net Metering agreement between City and County of San Francisco and PG&E for up to 5 MW of solar power. Approved by Governor 9/25/04. AB1684: Requires stricter NOx emission standards for DG technologies receiving rebates in the Self-Generation Incentive Program beginning 1/1/2005. Makes waste gas projects eligible for rebates. Approved by Governor on 9/22/04. AB2006: Relates to electric resource adequacy measures for state. Originally addressed customer choice through re-establishment of direct access for larger electric customers. Vetoed by Governor on 9/25/04. AB2473: Strengthens existing law prohibiting local governments from placing onerous restrictions on installing solar energy systems that meet specified requirements. Approved by Governor 9/25/04. SB1478: Amends Renewable Energy Resource Program to accelerate implementation date for the 20% renewable energy requirement from 2017 to 2010. Authorizes a Renewable Energy Credit ( REC) trading program and other REC provisions. Vetoed by Governor on 9/24/04. Search bills at the California Legislative Site.
CPUC regulatory activity includes: Utility long-term resource planning (R.04-04-003): Utility and stakeholder rebuttal testimony submitted and hearings were held regarding each utility’s LTRP. Also, CPUC announced plans to integrate its LTRP and the CEC Integrated Energy Policy Report ( IEPR) Process to improve the planning process. Proceeding ongoing. Energy-efficiency policies, administration, and programs (R.01-08-028): In August, two interim opinions had been released, one suggesting that utilities return to the role of program administrator, the other revising energy savings goals for 2006 and beyond that would increase required energy efficiency and demand response savings. A hearing was held 9/30 at CPUC in San Francisco. Self-Generation Incentive Program ( SGIP) (R.04-03-017): Shortly, the CPUC will release its program recommendations for SGIP that would take affect Jan. 1, 2005. This draft decision was expected by the end of September 2004. - TOP - |
Activity on legislative bills sent to the Governor:And the Winner Is... (cont.)
The Cool Communities Shade Tree Program planted over 8,600 trees on private and school property throughout San Diego County in 2003 and provided planning and maintenance workshops to almost 2,000 residents.
Looking ahead, the CPUC has granted additional funding for a widely-expanded program with a goal of planting 17,000 shade trees in San Diego County by March 2006.
San Diegans are doing their part to conserve energy. Trees create shade, shade cools homes and cooler homes use less air conditioning and less energy. So trees save energy! They also enhance neighborhood appearance, increase property value, reduce storm run-off and improve local air quality. You and/or your community can participate! For more information please visit our website at www.sdenergy.org.
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Linking the World with Renewable Energy (cont.)
Representatives from around the globe spoke on the substantial renewable energy measures they’ve implemented in their countries while others spoke on aggressive plans for the future.
- Japan currently contains 60% of the world’s installed PV and is the only country close to reaching a fully-functioning solar energy market. Germany is second with the largest solar power plant in the world.
- China will be hosting the first entirely “green” Olympics in Beijing in 2008. They also have a new wind power program and major hydroelectric efforts are underway. By 2010 they will have “garbage power” from wastewater treatment facilities. South Korea is offering tax benefits for investing in “green” building practices.
- Zimbabwe and other African nations are also investing in solar power.
- Countries including Hungary, Scotland, Pakistan and Nigeria are all investing in large-scale wind power projects.
Several consistent messages were heard throughout the conference:
- We will reach our ecological limit to fossil fuel use before we run out of fossil fuels themselves;
- Increasing the use of renewable energy reduces our dependence on fossil fuel and improves our security while reducing harmful pollutants;
- We need predictable, consistent, long-term support to grow the renewable energy market; and
- Governments and industry must work together.
What we've learned from the world congress is that expanding renewables is a difficult task, but the cost of not addressing our heavy reliance on fossil fuels is even worse.
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Program Spotlight: Green Building Education & Technical Assistance Program (cont.)
The program addresses both residential and non-residential components for new construction and major renovation building projects. Non-residential includes public agency buildings, such as libraries, fire stations, courthouses and community centers, as well as targeted commercial facilities. The residential component targets multi-family and affordable housing projects, as well as new construction single-family home developments.
The objectives of SDREO's Green Building Program are to:
- Augment existing municipal efforts to implement green building practices;
- Transfer green building technical expertise and resources to local governments and the local building industry;
- Overcome shortcomings in the standard design and construction delivery model; and
- Improve the effectiveness of information and incentive programs.
The Green Building Program also provides:
- Technical training for builders, architects, contractors, and other building industry professionals on green building practices;
- Training for local government/municipal staff on technical issues while integrating green building practices into the design and construction management process and the local inspection infrastructure;
- Technical support to local governments wanting to “green” their capital improvement programs and/or their policies and procedures;
- Public outreach and education regarding the benefits of building and buying “Green”; and
- Project-specific technical assistance for building owners, designers, builders, and contractors.
For more information on the program, click here, or contact the SDREO Green Building Program Manager at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call toll free at 1-866-SDENERGY. For a current list of upcoming workshops, please see our Calendar of Events. We can also schedule a tailored presentation at your office.
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Copyright 2004, San Diego Regional Energy Office
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